Warning: JKR gets credit for HP character. Established adult relationship between HP/SS.
I pulled the original story, rewrote it and now I'm reposting it. So here it is.
Summary: Strange things begin happening around the castle and wizard population, all wizards must stop it before the muggles start to notice. Harry and Severus must save the general population again.
Shouldn't I
By WittchWay
Headmaster Severus Snape entered his office in his typical brisk manner and strode quickly across the room toward the door that would lead him to his private rooms just above. It was the small pinging sound in the center of the room that made him stop and turn around, wand quickly positioned before him.
Things in his office did not ping. He was a man of silence. Unlike his predecessor he did not care for whirling dark arts detectors, nor did he welcome the greetings of the portraits that lined the walls. With time they had learned to keep quiet. There were no talking books here, the sorting hat had taken to ignoring him after he told it to shut up one to many times. But the humming was enough to drive anyone crazy.
"Lumos," he whispered moving away from the door he had been about to enter, moving into the bulk of the room.
Candles flared on the mantel, the flame in the hearth that had been dimming, shot to full life. The small orbs of light that had a tendency to hang over his desk sparked, glowing brightly in the circular room.
His desk sat in the middle, a single hard back chair with a leather seat behind it. Beyond the room he currently stood was yet another circular room holding his personal library, books rising to a very high ceiling, with a overstuffed leather sofa and ottoman. Snape dismissed the room, only Harry and himself could enter it. He turned around once surveying the rest of the room, the fireplace, with a small footstool before it. The staff of Salazar hung above it. Godric Gryffindor's sword on the mantel in an elegant silver holder.
Turning back around toward his desk Snape frowned, he knew he had heard something. Moving to the tall windows he looked out, the golden glow of light littered the castle towers here and there as students finished up homework and prepared for bed. But overall the school grounds were dark as they should be at this time of night.
Snape turned back around, a frown still firmly planted on his face, he could only imagine what his husband would say… that he was a paranoid git, suspicious of even his own shadow…. He saw nothing wrong with being… well, paranoid. The Dark Lord was newly gone and like last time the war had come to an end and his followers were claiming bewitchment.
Giving a heavy sigh, Snape moved towards his desk, the office appeared empty of wizard or beasts. In fact nothing seemed out of place except his desk which was littered with tea cups and candy wrappers, two teapots and several dirty spoons. Taping his fingers on the edge of the desk he raised his wand, He knew he had heard something, a smallish pinging noise, the sound that only good crystal gave when flicked, musical almost.
Snape growled at the offending mess on his desk, "What did it take to flick ones wand," and did simply that, vanishing the offensive items.
He took one last look around the room, he wasn't totally satisfied with just walking away from what ever it was he heard but he certainly wasn't going to waste anymore time on it. Extinguishing the lights he continued on his way upstairs, his mind on his husband and the little talk they would be having about cleaning up after ones self.
*
Snape sighed again as he made his way slowly up the stairs toward their rooms thinking of the bond Harry and he had completed nearly three years ago. They were still in the getting to know each other stage, feeling out each others likes and dislikes. Dealing with little quirks that one picks up with time and in his case living alone for so long prior to their bond.
Potter was unusually neat to a point where as he, Snape, actually wanted to strangle the man at times, which made the fact that he left a tea set out like that questionable. Where as he, Snape, was messy to what he was sure Potter would say was a strangling point.
Their bond was a typical forced bond. Well Potter would say it was forced. His life, neither of their lives, had depended on the completion of the bond. Through their combined magic would come the power that would assist them with killing the Dark Lord.
So they had completed the bond, had killed the Dark Lord the day after and had gone their separate ways the following day or at least Potter had. Snape had stayed at the castle to continue on being headmaster. Harry had returned to the Aurors program to complete training. They had spent nearly a year apart but it had worked out since then, a few false starts, several fights and a few eye awakening realization and they have been together ever since.
Snape turned the doorknob to the private sitting room, quickly crossing to the bedroom door on the opposite side. Harry wasn't there either and he wondered for just a moment where the boy was. He wanted to question him about the tray, about respecting his office and personal space.
Something about the way the tray looked edged on Snape's mind. Candy wrappers and cake crumbs, tea and cups, saucers, teapot, spoons, no sugar, no milk, not even the containers for such things, it was only strange in the sense that Potter usually dumped so much sugar in his tea it wasn't funny. On the other hand, perhaps he had finally had his fill of sweets from the other items on the tray. Though that didn't seem plausible.
Snape looked over the bedroom, it was small in size and shape, he ignored the color scheme of warm red and gold, it hadn't been his decision but the castles and one could not fight the castle, even if you were headmaster. Loathed, though he was to admit it, the way the fire seemed to glistened throughout the room made it cozy and welcoming, if one could ignore the Gryffindorness of it.
Snape shrugged out of his robe and shirt, pants and shoes and slipped on a pair of clean boxers and tied a evening robe around his waist, slipped on a pair of Potters slippers and headed back down to his offices, thinking he would do a little paper work before bed. There was a endless supply of work as headmaster.
*
Back down stairs Snape slowly opened the door to his office only to see the tea cups and pot exactly where they had been moments before. Startled Snape pulled his wand and vanished them again. He blinked several times, shaking his head and moved into the room with the intend of sitting at his desk.
It seemed very foreign to him for a moment. He had been certain that he had vanished the tea service. He had felt that little tingle that comes when a spell completes. Frowning again Snape looked over the room, perhaps he had vanished something else. Something of importance.
But looking at the items that littered his desk it was hard to tell. Scrolls and quills, inkwells of different colors, stacks of books and several potions items he was trying to make time to test out, correspondences, a trapped dark figurines he was attempting to undo.
Undecided on what could have possibly vanished he took a seat at his desk and pulled a stack of parchments toward him and began to work.
Potter's owl hooted softly at the windows ledge plucking at several of her feathers. He ignored her, she was a fine owl as owls went. She had yet to fail in her duties of delivery, which was certainly a credit to her abilities.
Snape pulled the parchments closer and began to read over the letter of a concerned parent, making corrections when necessary and eventually began the process of writing back to the sender. He dipped his favorite black quill in the ink and put nib to parchment and was promptly splattered with tea.
"Great damn Merlin," Snape howled, standing suddenly knocking back his chair.
Tea was splattered upon him and his parchment, the desk had been sprayed with loose sugar and sour milk. Several lumps of sugar looked as if they had been half chewed on by a troll.
Snape backed away from the desk, what the hell was going on. He pulled his wand again and vanished the tea set with so much force the windowpanes shook.
The tea and mess disappeared and Snape righted his chair and flopped down in his seat, sitting there in silence. Rubbing his temples, he opened his desk drawer and pulled his second wand out, this was the wand that was connected to Harry Potter's. The wand that held both of their powers in it.
Slumping back in his chair Snape waited… for what he did not know… For the tea pot to reappear?
He prayed it did not… his mind was racing with crazed thoughts. Was his magic failing, (it was the first thought to come forth), he couldn't imagine not living with magic. It happened… magic failed… it failed all the time. Age brought the loss of magic but he was just over forty, he shouldn't be losing it already. He hadn't even peaked yet magically…
Snape sat up gripping the arm of the chair he sat upon… Had he peaked?
'PING'
Snape choked…
… Potter… it had to be Potter's fault… or the bond. Perhaps the bond only had so much magic to give.
Snape looked coldly at the newly over turned tea pot dripping soundlessly on his desk, littered around it was more sugar than he personally cared for, cakes, assorted utensils.
Snape held the wand connected to Potters up and vanished the tea serving again...and waited.
Not five minutes later.
'PING'
It had to be a practical joke… a very dead student that thought he Or she was being funny.
"Weasley," Snape muttered…. There had to be at least one in the school or at least a direct descendent… a family that large had someone in the school all times…
'PING'
The tea set was back.
Snape stood a wand in each hand… and with every piece of anger he had in him vanished the damned tea set again.
Snape stood still in front of the desk grinding his teeth, waiting.
PING
Snape growled in frustration, stalking he came around the desk, getting a different view. What the hell was wrong with his magic? Why couldn't he break some immature practical joker.
"I can hear you growling from the hall..." Harry Potter chuckled as he entered the office closing the door behind him. Spying the tea set and mess on the desk he chuckled, "Having a party with out me Severus?" Harry pulled his wand with ease and with carelessness flicked the tea set away. Slipping out of his traveling cloak he dropped it on a peg casually, coming to stand next to his husband whom was grinding his teeth irritably.
"What's wrong?" Harry smiled slipping his cold hands in the opening of Snape robe. Touching warm skin Harry leaned in for a kiss.
Snape jerked away, "You think that will do it Potter... just a flick of your wand and its gone." He grabbed Harry's wrist, turning him around so he faced the desk.
"You think that worked did you?" Severus held Harry still next to him and stared intently at the desk. This was the true test, was it him, was it his magic?
He gripped Harry's wrist tighter and tighter until the boy squeaked and pulled it from his grip.
"What's wrong with you Sev? Why are you looking at the desk like a mad man?"
Snape shook his head, "Just wait…"
Harry arched his eyebrows and waited. He wasn't sure for what but he did. He stared at the desk and then looked around the room. Watching, Hedwig nested contently on the windowsill. He wasn't quite sure what they were waiting for. Perhaps it was the pressure of being headmaster that was finally getting to his bond, all the students, dealing with the professors, the parents, not to mention the general public that now sought out Snape's knowledge just as they once had Dumbledore's.
Snape hadn't said anything but Harry knew Severus enjoyed the attention… in a Snape sort of way.
Harry began to fidget.
It had only been a few minutes but he was bored from just standing there gazing at a desk.
Just as he was ready to take a seat the tea tray reappeared on the desk. Startled he jump back but Snape just crossed his arms over his chest in triumph, "See" he said in amusement and moved toward the tray.
Stunned Harry eyed the tray and pulled his first wand and vanished it again.
"It won't make it stop. I've already tried."
Harry nodded and it vanished, "How long does it take. "
"About 5 minutes. It reappears each time, sugar, cookies, tea, cups, all of it."
"Did you have company?" Harry inquired.
Snape sat down on the foot stool in front of the fireplace, "No, I returned and there it was. I thought it was you"
"No I haven't been up here all day. " Harry circled the desk, tentatively reached out a hand and touched the surface of where the tea pot had been. It was cool to the touch, normal in his opinion.
"How many times did you vanish it?"
"Four or five times." Snape deadpanned.
Harry smirked, he hadn't realized he had been using his Auror's voice, not that he was anymore, he was currently retired, yes at twenty. Harry smiled, it had been a means to an end being an Auror, it seemed like a million years ago he had been one, he could not for the life of him ever imagining doing it again. That first year of the bond he had gone back to training for it but it was no longer who he was. The bad guys had been defeated and his heart just wasn't in it anymore.
"Sorry. Its just very interesting… if it returns we'll do it together," but the words were barely out of his mouth when a small ping echoed and the tea service reappeared.
Snape snorted and stood.
Potter took Snape's hand in his, each held up the wand that connected them together but he hesitated looking at the tea set, red and white cups, a single flower etched around the rim, a dark mahogany colored tray, sugar packets which he found very strange since the wizard world was more likely to use sugar cubes.
Snape knew it wasn't going to work but he would try with his bond. They vanished the tea set only to have Harry dart forward and touch the table afterwards.
"Nothing" Harry said he dropped to his knees and looked under the desk feeling around, "Students pranking us, you think."
"No, how would they have gotten into the office." Snape retorted.
Harry nodded, unlike Dumbledore, Snape did not make the passwords to the office guessable. He made it some obscure reference to dark arts that usually had Harry looking the words up in search of the definition.
They could do nothing more than wait, Harry paced thinking that this had to be a trick, Snape waited on the foot stool, silent and still. Harry hated that he did not fidget at all.
'PING"
Snape stood instantly and pointed his wand at it.
"Wait" Harry grabbed his arm, he looked at the tea tray, red and white cups, small flowers at the top... but these flower were yellow. The others had been blue he was sure of it.
"Wait" he said again, he picked up one of the cups, the tea was cold, dregs of leaves floated heavily on the bottom of the cup. Harry set the cup down, half eaten biscuits, a cake that was mashed, no packets this time, several cubes and cinnamon. Who took cinnamon in their tea?
"Its different" he whispered, smiling. "Snape it's a different tray. The last setting had packets of sugar, this one has cubes." Harry smiled widely as if he had just solved a mystery.
"And this means?" Snape said dryly.
Harry gawked like a fish out of water, turning to the tea service as if it held the answer.
It did not.
"Exactly," Snape said, "make it go away."
Harry rolled his eyes and moved to the floo when another ping sounded, another tea serving appeared on top of this one, unbalanced landing on top of the previous one, a cup spilt pouring tea everywhere, more sugar, milk, a plate of lemon squares and several plates of sandwiches all unused… a fresh service.
"What the bloody hell" Snape shrieked, jumping to his feet.
Harry jumped back pointing his wand at the tea set as if it was possessed. If the Weasley twins had still been at school he would have thought it was them pulling a prank as it was there were no current Weasley's at Hogwarts. Not a student that compared to their intelligence for annoyance.
But he didn't think it was a prank, well it didn't feel like a prank. It didn't feel like anything was wrong with his magic either.
"Dobby," Harry called into the floo.
Snape snorted.
Dobby appeared. "Yes Harry Potter."
"Dobby could you take the tea sets away please without magic."
The house elf looked at him crossly but didn't say a thing simply picked up the trays and accessories and manually carried it through the door.
They waited the typical five minutes and nothing reappeared, Harry walked hesitantly around the desk Snape simply stared at the spot the tea tray had been.
"The bond?"
"No," Harry said quickly, "Its not the bond… Its something else… Something … it has nothing to do with us…. Come on Severus... bed time."
The Headmaster nodded, he knew he wasn't going to get any paperwork done tonight and he certainly didn't want to think of this anymore. Moving toward the stairs where Harry held the door open for him to pass through to their private chambers.
Snape moved slowly passed him touching Potter on the hip once, his hand lingering a little to long. Harry smiled letting the door shut behind them. He hadn't take a step when a slight pinging sounded on the other side of the door…breaking the silence that had just begun to settle… with out a step Harry coughed trying to cover the sound and started up the private staircase that would take them to their bedroom.
Snape was not fooled.
TBC
Review please.